Seven years ago, a little-known band called Walk the Moon took the U.S. Cellular Connection Stage to perform in Summerfest's Emerging Artist Series.

A few years later, their newly released song "Shut Up And Dance" would be playing on every car radio in the country, over and over again, propelling them into instant stardom. Today they continue to be a nationally recognized, adored American rock band.

Walk the Moon is exactly the type of artist that performers aspire to be at the Emerging Artist Series, an annual set of Summerfest performances intended to highlight up-and-coming talent. This year, the set list includes both local and international artists, from as close as Eau Claire and Chicago to as far as Orlando and Montreal. It also includes an enormous amount of musical diversity, though all artists have one thing in common: They're trying hard to make it big in a crowded space.

Joe Hanson, a 19-year-old country music singer, seemed especially hungry when he performed Tuesday afternoon in front of a moderately sized crowd. He was the first of four acts that day for the Emerging Artist Series, which holds its performances on the Johnson Controls World Sound Stage.

"Summerfest, let me ask you guys — who came to party?" Hanson said as he took the stage wearing ripped black skinny jeans and a white tee.

He immediately launched into his first song, a fast-paced original that evoked the sound of Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes.

After a few more songs, his musical style switched from pop to country, a genre he seemed much more comfortable with. The crowd got more dense as Hanson played his original "Break Up With Her" along with a few country covers.

"If I were 14 or 15, I would be dying right now," said Diana Gonzalez, a flight attendant who had taken her day off in Milwaukee to attend Summerfest.

"He's really cute. He kind of reminds me of Shawn Mendes," said Heidi Honeck, an audience member standing near the back of the venue with friend Heather Sunagel.

"But honestly, I could be his mom," she added. Sunagel nodded in agreement.

Heidi Honeck (left) and Heather Sunagel were in the audience as Joe Hanson performed. They said Hanson was "just adorable."(Photo: Elena Weissmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The pair added that they would be voting for Hanson as their favorite performer in a poll on the Summerfest Twitter account. As part of the Emerging Artists Series, the poll is conducted each day on that day's four performers, and fans can vote in real time to determine the winner.

When Hanson ended his set some 30 minutes later, he received loud applause and cheers from the audience. A large group of teenage girls followed him to the back of the stage, where he talked to fans and took pictures.

"We've been anticipating this show for a while," he told the Journal Sentinel. "And it's been awesome. These fans were crazier than expected."

Hanson said his next move, after his "baby tour," is to return to Nashville and work on recording his EP.

"We're also going to work on finding him even tighter jeans," his band manager, Clarence Welton, chimed in.

Next up in the series on Tuesday was Carly and Martina, 16-year-old twin sisters from Chicago who belted out many a pop cover.

They opened up with a cover of "Havana ft. Young Thug" by Camila Cabello and then moved on to "New Rules" by Dua Lipa. A few more covers later, they sang an original, "Call Me Later," that sounded sweet and bouncy.

"They have a lot of energy, and they look like they're having fun up there," said Zac Obadal, a teenager who drove all the way from Iowa for the festival. "Now they just need someone to push them in the right direction, so they can develop their own sound."

Carly and Martina are a pop duo from Chicago. They started making music together when they were just 13 years old.(Photo: Elena Weissmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Audience member Manuelo Torres also had a positive impression of the pop duo.

"They're incredibly talented for how young they are," she said. "They have amazing voices and a nice range."

After Carly and Martina, indie band Half-Alive and folk musician Liza Anne finished off the series for the day.

Half-Alive, a group of three based out of Long Beach, California, ended up with the most fan votes on the Emerging Artists Series Twitter poll for the day, which meant they took home a prize package of nearly $3,000 in gear and merchandise.

But all artists went home having reached a major milestone: a performance at Summerfest, one of the largest music festivals in the world.

Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Concert-goers gather on the grounds of the Milwaukee County Zoo to hear a free concert as part of Summerfest 68 on July 28, 1968. The concert, dubbed a "Zoo-mphony," actually was part of the summer-long Music Under the Stars series, one of several Milwaukee summer events pulled under the umbrella of the first Summerfest. This photo was published in the July 29, 1968, Milwaukee Sentinel. Milwaukee Sentinel

Singer Miriam Makeba heads the cast of "Salute to the Afro-American" at Lincoln Park on July 26, 1968, as part of Summerfest 68. This photo was published in the July 27, 1968, Milwaukee Journal. Heinz Kluetmeier/Milwaukee Journal

A Hawker Siddeley Vulcan B-2 from the British Royal Air Force arrives at Mitchell International Airport on July 24, 1968, in time for the Air Age '68 air show. This photo was published in the July 25, 1968, Milwaukee Journal Milwaukee Journal

A British Royal Air Force Victor bomber, armed with a nuclear missile, arrives at Mitchell International Airport for Air Age '68, held July 25-28, 1968. The bomber, with a crew of five, was fully operational and part of NATO defenses. Erwin Gebhard/Milwaukee Journal

The Blue Angels, the Navy's precision flying team, maneuvers high over Milwaukee on July 25, 1968. The team was in Mlwaukee as part of Air Age '68, an air show pulled under the umbrella of Summerfest 68. This photo was published in the July 26, 1968, Milwaukee Journal. Edward Williams/Milwaukee Journal

The first Summerfest, held in 1968, included an air show called Air Age '68 at Mitchell International Airport. These helicopters, shown on July 26, 1968, were bound for Vietnam immediately after the show closed two days later. This photo was published in the July 27, 1968, Milwaukee Sentinel. Clarence P. Schmidt/Milwaukee Sentinel